UK police believe missing schoolgirls have crossed into Syria

LONDON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - British police said on Tuesday
they believed that three London schoolgirls who travelled to
Turkey and are thought to be trying to join militant Sunni
Islamist group Islamic State, have now crossed into Syria.

"Officers ... leading the investigation into the three
missing schoolgirls from east London, now have reason to believe
that they are no longer in Turkey and have crossed into Syria,"
police said in a statement.

They gave no further details but said they continued to work
closely with Turkish authorities on the investigation.

The girls' plight has prompted widespread concern in
Britain, with Prime Minister David Cameron urging social media
firms to do more to deal with online extremism saying the girls
appeared to have been radicalised "in their bedrooms".

He also said airlines needed new systems to vet children
travelling alone.
(Reporting by Stephen Addison; editing by Kate Holton)